


A Waft of Lemon in the Putrid Breeze

by Meepers (Moopers)



Series: We met and there was no going back [1]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Kidnapping, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/M, Kidnapping, Slow Burn, Weddings, naraku is a creep
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:54:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25807690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moopers/pseuds/Meepers
Summary: Inuyasha is fed up with Kagome and her incessant interference with his love life, such as her penchant for setting up blind dates for him. He has no interest in being with someone nor bringing a date to Sango and Miroku's upcoming wedding. Although this opinion changes when he meets this woman who looks just like Kagome. Except he's pretty sure she doesn't like him yet?  Also, there's this new company that pops up and the CEO has his eyes set on a certain priestess.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Kouga, InuYasha/Kikyou (InuYasha), Miroku/Sango (InuYasha)
Series: We met and there was no going back [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894129
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for any of the characters from the manga/anime Inuyasha.
> 
> Hello! I'm glad you stopped by. I'm Meepers. This is my first time posting here and writing an Inuyasha fanfiction. (Sort of new but yeah) I hope you guys like the story, enjoy reading!

“Keh!” The man sat his cup down quicker than he intended to and faced the consequence of that specific action, a splash of coffee that burned his hand.

The girl in front of him watched with confusion at his small commotion, she tilted her head and let her bangs cover her eyes. The man sitting in front of her was truly a special kind. He had long silver hair that reflected the light perfectly, she wished she could run her fingers through it and wondered if it was really as soft as it looked, and golden eyes that seemed to hold the burning sun in them. Gorgeous was the word she had settled on after some thought and it truly fits him. He was a tall man, well over six feet, with a muscular physique that could not be hidden beneath his clothes. The white t-shirt he wore was loose enough that if he leaned forward one could look down it. The girl did just that and was happy to find that her observations of his outside had not disappointed her.

She could almost feel her mouth water as she thought of her hands on the formed chest. She blushed at her thoughts knowing that she had let them wander a bit too far but she felt that she could not help it. She took another look at the man in front of her, he was battling with a napkin to clean up the spilled coffee and sighed.

* * *

Inuyasha bit his tongue and cursed the existence of his sharp canines. Who knew they would turn against him and catch his tongue on them and inopportune moments. In fact, he almost wished they would snap off and be flat and dull as to avoid such instances. He slammed his fist down on the table momentarily forgetting the existence of the coffee in his hand. It hit the table with the force he exerted and splashed out the top and onto both the table and his hand. Once more he cursed, this time aloud, and pushed himself out of the booth he sat to find a napkin. 

He glanced back at the table and the girl who was sitting there seemingly in a daze. He held back a growl as he quietly asked one of the employees for a napkin. Kagome had told him to meet her for coffee at a breakfast place that had recently opened. The restaurant sat on the corner of a usually busy street. It was small but the staff was friendly and the coffee was okay. That morning Kagome had sat in a booth near a window that faced the street. Inuyasha was glad enough to meet her alone for breakfast, it was something they hadn’t often done any time recently as often times Kagome was not alone but with Sango. This particular day he was greeted with not only Kagome but a small girl who wouldn’t look up from her feet. 

“She was one of my coworkers at that school I worked at as a school nurse” is what Kagome had told him when she introduced the two to each other. 

It didn’t take more than five seconds for Inuyasha to figure out why she was there and he wasn’t amused then nor was he now. Sango and Miroku were getting married in three months and they had asked Inuyasha if it was possible for him to bring a date, not that they would force him to. They thought it might be a nice addition to the event, as Kagome was going to be busy as the maid of honor and Sango and Miroku were the stars of the event, and they didn’t want Inuyasha to be lonely or bored without them there to keep him company. Inuyasha had only taken minor offense to this and had waved off their worries. He wasn’t worried about such a trivial thing and Sango and Miroku shouldn’t be either. Kagome was the one who took their words to heart and made it her duty to find someone for Inuyasha to bring to the wedding. She went about this in the way of blind dates and introductions to her acquaintances. Inuyasha hadn’t minded all of the people he was introduced to, some were entertaining enough, but some could only stare at him and not exactly in his eyes. The girl he was currently having breakfast was one of those people.

She was a small girl, shorter in frame and height than Kagome, with brown hair and a demeanor that reminded Inuyasha of a mouse. The duration of the breakfast had consisted of Inuyasha attempting conversation while the girl stared at him with an open mouth. She occasionally would respond but whenever she did it was with a soft and meek voice. It was a trait that easily got on his nerves and he had to keep himself from snarling at her to speak up. The first time that happened he received a smack from Kagome and she could really pack some force into it. He did, although, snarl at the employee when they leaned over the counter to hand him a napkin. 

“You know, it doesn’t take the whole day to get a napkin,” Inuyasha spat out without looking as he snatched the napkin from the shocked employee’s hand. He sighed internally and then turned to face the employee.

“I apologize for my outburst,” He bowed his head slightly, “My temper gets the best of me at times.”

Without waiting for a response he started to stride back to the booth. He threw himself into the seat and took to wiping up the split drink. It didn’t pick up as easily as he had hoped and he grumbled while rubbing the table. He took another glance at the girl who sighed and sat her head on her hands as she leaned closer towards him. With another swipe, he got rid of the coffee and stood up from his seat once more. 

“It was nice to meet you but I think it’s time for this meeting to end,” He stated calmly while crunching up the napkin into a ball.

The girl seemed to shake herself out of whatever daze she was in and stood up quickly, a blush forming across her nose and cheeks. 

“I can say the same to you,” She mumbled while fixing her bangs with her fingers, “I’ll leave first then.”

With that, she hurried away from Inuyasha and out the door. Inuyasha sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair. He was about to leave as well when he heard a giggle.

“That was a terrible scene to watch,” Kagome giggled and walked towards Inuyasha from where she was sitting. She had chosen a table that was stationed behind Inuyasha so that she could see him but he couldn’t see her.

“I thought she was sweet but might’ve forgotten to mention that she is a bit shy,” Kagome recounted while tapping her chin with a finger, “I suppose it doesn’t matter now does it."

She donned a navy one-piece that made a swishing sound when she moved. She had rolled the sleeves up to her elbows and was fiddling with them while prancing around Inuyasha in a playful manner. Inuyasha didn’t stop the growl that hit his throat.

“That ain’t fair to do to me, Kagome!” He yelled at her.

She grabbed his arm and gave only a stick of her tongue out as a response. Her ocean-colored eyes gleamed with mischievousness. Inuyasha shoved her hand off and stormed out of the restaurant and towards his car, Kagome followed after him.

“Come on! I’m trying to do you a favor,” She leaned against the hood of the car and tried to get Inuyasha’s attention which was preoccupied with putting the key into the side of the car door, “I seriously don’t want you by yourself at the wedding. I know you and you won’t talk to anyone else.”

Inuyasha paused in his attempt to open the car and gave an exasperated sigh as he took a look at Kagome. He knew she wasn’t wrong. One time when they were in college Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha had gone to a party. Sango and Kagome had gone off to talk to some other classmates and Miroku had left to flirt with some girls leaving Inuyasha to stand by himself. The whole night had proceeded like that, Inuyasha stood where he had been left and either observed the crowd of people or looked at his phone.

“The wedding is supposed to be a fun and happy time and it won’t be if we’re all worried about you being alone,” Kagome pleaded, “I promise I won’t set up any more blind dates as long as you find someone to bring.” 

She grasped her hands together and pushed out her lower lip. It was cute but not something that could tempt Inuyasha into doing anything, internally he snickered at her desperation. 

“Keh,” He spat out, “Fine, woman, fine.”

He finally opened the car and grumbled more when he saw Kagome jump in as well.

“Since we’re on the subject of favors already you might as well drop me off at the shrine,” She gave him a grin.

The drive to the shrine was short as they weren’t far from it, to begin with. When the arrived, Kagome insisted that Inuyasha come out and greet Kaede, the chief priestess. Inuyasha wasn’t about to fight that request, he knew Kaeda would not be pleased if she were to find out that Inuyasha stopped by at the shrine and didn’t greet her. 

“I don’t get it,” Inuyasha snorted, “That wolf smells, how could you let him help you clean the staircase? He just adds to the stench!” They walked slowly up the many stairs to the shrine itself.

Kagome shook her head but smiled regardless, “Kouga is not that bad, Inuyasha,” She stated fondly, “You guys are so similar, maybe that’s why you two don’t get along.”

“Right, Kagome.” Inuyasha gave another snorting laugh before he was interrupted by another voice.

“Kagome, you’re late.” A woman made her way down the stairs to meet them. She was already dressed in the typical priestess attire: a white _kosode_ and a red _hakama_. 

She was a beautiful woman. Long midnight-colored hair that was pulled back into a ponytail with a few strands let a bit looser framed brown eyes and a small face that held many similarities to Kagome. Although, unlike Kagome, this woman had a different presence, a more poised one.

“Oh, sorry Kikyo,” Kagome sheepishly bowed her head, “I got a ride from my friend. Have you met him before?” 

The woman, Kikyo, gave a small smile and shook her head.

“Kagome, you can introduce him to me at a later time,” She told the girl before turning into a whisper, “Kaede is upset with the brown staining on the stairs. She has some things to say to you about them.”

Kagome paled a bit and rushed up the remainder of the staircase. 

“Sorry, Inuyasha, I’ll see you later!” She shouted to him before disappearing into the shrine.

Kikyo looked up at Kagome’s disappearing figure with a small smile before she turned to look at Inuyasha.

“Hello,” She said with a small bow of her head, “I’m Kikyo.”

“Inuyasha,” He replied with a nod.

Their eyes lingered on each other before meeting and staying there for a moment. Inuyasha felt a pull to say something more to her but nothing escaped his lips.

The woman gave another gentle smile and continued walking down the steps past him when the wind kicked up a bit. It brought along the scent of lemon and roses and made Inuyasha turn his head to take another look at her.

_Kikyo._


	2. Chapter Two

That morning Kagome had woken up with a feeling of amusement, hunger and mischief alike rumbled in her stomach. She was still in bed but a plan started to boil up in her mind. With Sango and Miroku’s wedding coming up, she wanted to find someone for Inuyasha to bring seeing as her thick-headed friend wouldn’t attempt to look for someone.

“I could ask Kimi or Natsumi.” she thought aloud while stretching her arms above her head. She was still seated in bed and had yet to start her morning, although it was still early out and the sun had barely risen. 

She yawned and rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes before throwing her legs over the side of her bed and standing up.

“I’ll go with Kimi,” she decided to herself, “Kimi is easy to talk to and that might appeal to Inuyasha.”

Kagome grinned and walked towards her dresser. She decided that she would invite Inuyasha to breakfast at a restaurant that had recently opened. While Kagome would’ve liked to have breakfast there with her friend, she felt this was another attempt that could maybe succeed. 

The plan was to first call her old coworker, Kimi, and see if she was available for a blind date and then to call Kikyo to ask her to tell Kaede that she would be coming later to the shrine. Kagome hadn’t recently been in contact with Kimi but she knew that the girl had been looking for a partner. When they had worked together, to their other coworkers’ dismay, that was all the mousy female had to talk about, and, surprisingly, it even annoyed Kagome. This was a good chance for Kagome to get Kimi and her wishing away. She dug around the top area for her phone and once she had it in hand, she dialed the girl’s number.

“Hello, Kimi?” Kagome inquired as she changed out of her pajamas. She couldn’t help the snickers that escaped her as she thought about how Inuyasha would react.

“This will be so much fun.”

* * *

“Thank you so much for your help,” The young boy bowed deeply to the woman in front of him. 

Kikyo smiled gently and patted the boy’s shoulder.

“It was merely a formality that was corrected,” She told him, “My presence was only a guide.”

The boy blushed and bowed once more before running away from the shrine and down the long path of stairs. Kikyo watched him go and gave a small sigh. Many people were coming to the shrine for small things such as miscommunications, as the young boy had, and she had to admit it was tiring to have to deal with those sorts of issues not that she would decline them. 

She had woken up earlier that day to inform Kaede, the chief priestess, of Kagome’s request. Kikyo also did not understand Kagome and her drawing to playing match-maker. Kagome had explained in slight detail of her idea for a friend of hers and had requested that Kikyo tell Kaede she would arrive later for her duties. The girl was silly but Kikyo held a spot of fondness for Kagome in her heart and had agreed to the request. She chalked up the fondness due to their similarities. 

Those who visited the shrine often spoke of the priestesses and their likenesses of each other. Although there were differences in smaller details like eye color, Kikyo and Kagome could easily be mistaken for sisters. While their faces were akin, the two were vastly unlike in other fields.

Kikyo was what one could call “an epitome of refined grace”. She had long, straight, midnight-colored hair that seemed to flutter behind her whenever she moved and chestnut eyes that often glittered with secrecy and curiosity. She walked and spoke with poised confidence and elegance yet she was very compassionate and would not turn away from those who came to her. Kikyo was like winter, a cold and quiet season that could hold blizzards that tore apart what it touched as well as the gentle fall of snowflakes. 

If Kikyo was winter, then Kagome was summer, blisteringly hot and full of change and freedom. Kagome had the same long onyx hair although hers was more wavy and unruly at times and her eyes were a deep ocean blue that perpetually held mischievousness in them. She was very outspoken and made those around her smile and laugh with her. She was kind and loving and showed all her emotions in a flurry of words and expressions.

Initially, the two had not gotten along all that well. Kikyo smiled at the memory that came up while she was cleaning the staircase. Kagome had been dragged by her grandfather to the shrine and told to start working there and Kagome had complained of it being a boring, tedious type of work. Kikyo had been a priestess much longer and took offense to the slander of her position. It took Kaede forcing them to work together during a festival to come to an agreement and understanding of each other. From there, the rest was history. 

Kikyo gave a tiny laugh and went back to sweeping up the clutter of leaves and dirt that had settled in small piles near the inner corners of the steps. She was almost done with it when she noticed that one of the piles wouldn’t move. She crouched down to get a closer look and upon that inspection found that brown stains were spotting the top area of the staircase. 

“Kikyo,” a worn voice spoke, “what are you looking at down there?” 

Kaede stood behind her with a tired look to her face. The elder priestess took a few steps to match the level where Kikyo was kneeling.

“There are some stains here,” She told the priestess, “Kouga, presumably, left them when he helped Kagome clean the stairs last week.” 

She internally smiled at the thought of the male following Kagome around with hearts in his eyes as they scrubbed the stairs down.

The old woman chuckled at the same thought and shook her head, “Oh, that girl will be the death of me.”

Kikyo gave a smile and stood to brush off her clothes. The wind was starting to kick up and she knew it might be best to clear the dirt towards the bottom of the stairs before then.

“Kikyo, a moment,” Kaede called out before the young priestess had walked off, “Do tell Kagome that we need to talk about the stains.”

She pondered briefly before adding, “And remind her not to come late next time.”

With those last words, she strolled off to the inner area of the shrine. Kikyo continued on her way down the steps when she stopped. Kagome was making her way, slowly but surely, up the stairs. 

She was accompanied by a tall man who had long silver hair. He spoke loudly and Kikyo could see glimpses of sharp canines whenever his mouth opened. He was an attractive young man but it wasn’t that specific fact that interested her. She wasn’t sure yet but something was drawing her in to talk to him and to touch him. She blushed at that thought and pushed far into her head before going down to meet the chatting two.

“Kagome, you’re late.” She stated while holding in her smile.

“Oh, sorry Kikyo,” Kagome rubbed her head with a playful grin, “I got a ride from my friend. Have you met him before?”

Kikyo shook her head and let out her smile, she was a bit curious about this friend now but she decided that later might be a better time to meet him.

“Kagome,” She offered to the girl, “you can introduce him to me at a later time. Kaede is upset with the brown staining on the stairs.”

She thought this might be the time to act on Kaede’s joking request, “She has some things to say to you about them.”

Kagome’s face dropped a bit and she rushed past her and up the stairs.

“Sorry, Inuyasha, I’ll see you later!” She yelled.

Kikyo had to smile at that, Kagome really was such a silly girl. She then remembered that the man was still standing before her.

“Hello,” she greeted with a small bow, “I’m Kikyo.”

The man gave a nod, “Inuyasha.”

She felt that compelling pull towards him again and she couldn’t help her staring. Inuyasha stared right back at her, but she was the first to turn away. With a smile she continued past him, meaning to finish her work. The wind kicked up again and blew her hair back and away from her and she took a fleeting glance behind her. Inuyasha stared straight at her with a slightly opened mouth.

“How cute,” Kikyo muttered while sweeping away the dirt. 

She really did want to get to know this man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! This chapter was a bit shorter as I was debating whether to add a part or leave it for the next chapter. I've gone with the latter. I hope you all are enjoying so far and leave your thoughts below if you could please :)


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I apologize for the wait, getting busy with classwork, but here is the next chapter! Please enjoy reading :)

Kagome almost tripped over a gurney that one of the other nurses had left outside of a room. She had been lost in thought about the previous day’s affair and with a resounding _THUMP_ , the gurney spun away from her and her clipboard along with it.

“Ah!” Kagome cried out as she crouched down to nurse her sore toes and grab the fallen clipboard. She cursed her distracted thoughts.

 _I’m never going to let Kouga help clean the shrine stairs again._ She thought to herself as she stood and cleared off her scrubs. Yesterday she had found herself caught in Kaede’s, and somehow Kikyo’s, idea of a joke. The young woman had been genuinely worried that she had upset the elder priestess but when she had run into the shrine to apologize and promise to lecture Kouga, she was met with the hearty laughter of Kaede.

“Kagome, dear, I wouldn’t be upset with such a mistake but I do want you to fix it,” The old woman had chided with a genial grin. 

Kagome blushed in embarrassment at the memory and strode past empty rooms to her destination, another empty room at the very edge of the hall near the desk area for the nurses. She flipped nonchalantly through her pages as she entered the room. With a small glance, she saw that no one had shown up yet so she sat down in one of the chairs that were pushed against a wall. As she turned the pages a few more times, she eventually came across the page she was looking for.

Onigumo is the name that sat at the top left corner of the paper. Kagome skimmed the page as she waited for him to arrive. He was coming in for a check-up on some burn wounds that he had sustained a few years before, is what Kagome read. 

“So vitals and then he’ll have to strip,” Kagome listed aloud. She knew what she had to go through with him but it wouldn’t hurt to mention them to herself once more.

“We haven’t even gotten to know each other and you’re already planning,” A deep voice chuckled out, “other objectives.”

Kagome’s head shot up and she was met with a pair of crimson eyes. A tall young man with long wavy hair leaned against the door. He smirked with amusement when he saw Kagome blush. 

“I-I didn’t mean it like that, of course,” Kagome cleared her throat, “However, to check your burns I will need you to...discard your current attire.” 

She watched the man shrug off his blazer as he strolled to the cot opposite to Kagome. He sat down and started to unbutton his shirt while Kagome gathered what she needed to check his vitals. 

“So,” Kagome asked while she wrapped his arm with the cuff of the sphygmomanometer, “You’re called Onigumo?” 

The man smiled obscurely but answered her question, “I suppose that is what I’m called.”

Kagome giggled at his response.

“You only suppose?”

“Yes, is it that difficult an answer to comprehend? I suppose, at this moment, I am Onigumo. And what name are you graced with, hm?” 

Kagome smiled and gave a pat on his arm as she unwrapped the cuff and then went on to check his eyes and ears. She knew she was red in the face but she wasn’t going to act unprofessional and let her flush guide her actions.

“I suppose I am going by Kagome,” She teased, “although I tend to always go by that name.”

Onigumo gave another vague smile to that response. Kagome asked him to take off the shirt, which he did, and she let out a surprised gasp.

The man was charming in a way, not exactly like her friend Miroku who was known to be a player, but he was playing with his words well. This is what made him, well, charming. The sight that donned his body, changed this thought slightly.

Scars and deformed skin littered Onigumo’s body and it seemed as if he shouldn’t be moving with the injuries that had donned him. Although, what has caused the gasp to pass through Kagome’s lips was the large spider-like burn across his back. The dark tendrils of burnt flesh reached his shoulder blades to right above his lower back. Kagome felt a wash of shame when she saw the empty stare that settled in Onigumo’s eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Kagome said softly while she wrote down his vitals in her clipboard.

Onigumo observed her with a cold stare before he opened his mouth, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a very beautiful girl?”

Kagome paused her motions and looked up at him. He was smiling once more but it was not like the previous ones. It was cold and unnerving and the charming glint of rose in his eyes was replaced by something else that made the hair stand up on Kagome’s eyes.

“You are very beautiful and your scent is so very sweet,” Onigumo continued as he stood up from the cot, “I want to make sure you know that those are my thoughts about you.”

He did not move, merely stared at Kagome. It was at that moment that the doctor attending waltzed in and Kagome released the breath she hadn’t noticed she was withholding.

“Goodnight doctor,” Kagome breathed out as she hurried out past Onigumo, “I apologize but I have to go.”

She didn’t wait for the doctor to respond and was far down the hall when she heard the door shut. Her face flushed although this time was in discomfort. That man had rubbed her in a way that she did not like but she couldn’t place exactly what it was that made her feel that way. 

_I need a drink._ She grumbled in her head. _Guess I could pay Miroku a visit._

* * *

“Could you pass the green beans, Kikyo?” Kaede asked without looking up at the girl. 

Kikyo quietly pushed the bowl towards the elder. Despite living together, they did not often have their meals together, especially dinner. Kikyo was generally involved with helping a small clinic that practiced using herbal remedies. If she wasn’t there then she was at the hill near the entrance of the shrine reading a book. It was a calming activity that let Kikyo forget any responsibilities she had and drop the guarded demeanor she usually chose to uphold. Those few hours were her favorite moments and more than often, she would forget to come back for dinner with Kaede.

“ Kaede when-’ Kikyo was cut off by the loud ringing of her phone. 

She pulled it out from her sweater pocket and saw that it was coming in from Kagome. 

“Hello,” Kikyo answered, “Is something wrong? You don’t ever call me.”

“Kikyo!” Kagome screamed through the phone. Kikyo held the phone a bit away from her ear as she listened to the girl.

It was a short conversation, only five minutes or so when Kagome abruptly hung up. Kikyo was perplexed at the call but waved it off and continued her meal. About ten more minutes passed when a loud knock came from the door.

Kikyo sighed but still got up to open it. It was no surprise when she was met with the grimacing face of Kagome.

“Hi, I’m coming in.”

She brushed passed Kikyo and went straight to one of the closed doors that faced opposite the entrance. She shoved the door open and threw herself into Kikyo’s bed, the bag she as carrying flopped to the floor. Kikyo sighed again and shut her front door as she proceeded to her room. 

“Why the sudden visit?” Kikyo inquired while sitting next to Kagome on her bed.

Kagome groaned and rubbed her face violently, “Let’s go to a club tonight.”

Kikyo blinked, the words not settling in for a few seconds.

“A club?” 

“Yes, a club. I desperately need it. You definitely need it,” Kagome jumped up and went down to dig for her phone, “And Sango needs it before she’s married.”

“She’s getting married and she needs to go to a club?” Kikyo raised an eyebrow at this.

Kagome finally smiled at this, “Don’t worry, we’re going to Miroku’s club. He’ll love to see her dressed up.”

Kagome typed ferociously at her phone then stood up while pulling some garment from her bag. It was shimmery and dark green in color and Kikyo assumed it was a dress although it was small. Kagome threw her clothes off and shimmied into the dress. Kikyo was correct in judgment, it was a short dress.

“I will be using your bathroom soon to finish getting ready but you also need to wear something and I know you have nothing that falls under club attire,” Kagome expressed mischievously, “So I took the jeopardy of bringing you something!”

She pulled another shimmery garment from her bag although this one was dark red in color and was longer. Kikyo grimaced but took the dress from Kagome and tried it on. It clung to her upper body and had a slit that reached the middle of her left thigh. 

“Kagome, is this really necessary?” She requested the affirmation of its necessity.

Kagome only grinned and skipped out of Kikyo’s bedroom.

“Sango will be here soon so don’t be alarmed by any knocks on the door!” She called out with a laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there. This chapter might seem a bit rushed since I was stuck on how to include what I wanted to into the chapter, but it is not. I think I spent too much time thinking about it XD Hope you guys liked it :)


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> Sorry for being absent for a bit there, I had to get some stuff out of the way that I had let get backed up :p  
> Here is the next chapter, please leave your thoughts! Enjoy reading :)

Kikyo stared at her reflection in the mirror. She almost couldn’t recognize herself. Kagome had clothed her in a long but tight fitted dress that was dark red in color and very shimmery. Whenever Kikyo turned, the dress sparkled with the light it caught. She had put her hair up in a loose bun and let a few strands hang from the front. Kagome did her makeup and Kikyo was not able to identify what she had done, makeup was not something she chose to wear. It was an interesting change from her general appearance, Kikyo was not overly fond of form-fitted clothing usually choosing loose, long skirts and long sleeve shirts. Although, this time was not completely unpleasant. 

“Ok!” Sango exclaimed. The young woman had arrived only a few minutes before and she was helping Kagome finish her hair.

The two were sitting in the bathtub in the bathroom while Kikyo stood in front of the mirror. Kagome had plans for them to visit the club that Miroku owned. 

Miroku had gone through a variety of jobs before settling on becoming an owner of a bar or club. After a long discussion and debate, he had settled for opening a bar during the day that transitioned into a club at night. He had also hired Inuyasha to work with him as a bartender/bouncer as the silver-haired young man was prone to impatience in other jobs.

“Are you guys ready to go?” Kagome asked with a grin.

Kikyo gave a sliver of a smile and shrugged. She knew there was no way to get out of this and when Kagome had arrived at her home earlier that night she had seemed to be in an odd mood. Kikyo now wanted her to release whatever kept her from talking about it with her or Sango. 

The girls took Kikyo’s car, neither Sango nor Kagome was good about keeping the promise to not drink and Kikyo was not about to risk their lives due to a stupid decision. 

"Kikyo!" Kagome yelled, "Are we close yet?" 

The girl was practically jumping in her seat now, any sign of unhappiness was not in plain sight. She sat behind Kikyo as Sango had taken the passenger seat. Kikyo knew that the first thing she had to set down were the rules for the night: no leaving without each other, no driving intoxicated, and no pulling on Kikyo's arms while she drove. This was something that had happened often on more than one occasion. 

"Yes, we are," Kikyo sighed out, "Please sit still." 

Kagome merely giggled and chattered away with Sango. They were close, at least, and there they could release Kagome's fit of energy.

They arrived within the next five minutes to a dark-colored building that was spilling out bright neon lights. The words Alléchant sat above the entrance in white cursive letters. Miroku, despite knowing not a single word of French, had decided on the title. The word meant enticing and it was exactly what Miroku had wanted for his business, a place that would entice its customers to come back for more. With more money, of course, is what he had clarified.

“I still can’t believe he was able to set this place up,” Sango chimed.

She swung her arm through Kagome’s elbow and the two practically skipped to the line that had filed in front of the building. Kikyo followed after a bit slower. She took this time to look over the crowd of people. There was the typical sight of partying college students in short, bright clothing and there were a few older men in suits which amused her. They were a normal sight although she didn’t recognize anyone besides those she arrived with. That was until she noticed the swaying of silver hair. 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome called out in delight.

Kikyo was met with a glare of gold that made her suck in a breath. Inuyasha stood next to the door, a stern scowl covered his face. His arms were crossed and his eyes gazed over the line of people until they stopped on Kagome to which he gave a toothy smirk. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped once he noticed Kikyo staring at him. Another smirk dawned his face but it was less playful and more of a greeting. He met them with that same smirk as they arrived in front of him.

“Are you working as a bouncer tonight?” Kagome asked as she threw an arm under Inuyasha’s elbow.

“I am,” He coughed out, “What’re you asking for all of a sudden? You never cared before.”

Kagome giggled and pulled on his arm. 

“You should come and be with us,” She giggled and pulled on his arm some more, an action that made Kikyo sigh. She figured that Kagome still wanted to introduce Inuyasha to her.

“Kagome,” She stepped up to pull her away from the exasperated male, “Let him work in peace.”

She was almost through with pulling Kagome away when she felt a grip on her own elbow. She stopped and looked up abruptly. Those molten eyes met hers once more. 

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Inuyasha told her while leaning in close to her. He held her arm close to his chest and Kikyo felt a warmth spread on her face.

She cleared her throat and released Kagome’s arm while simultaneously pulling her own away from Inuyasha. 

“It’s not worrying,” She informed him with a calm tone, “Just…”

Her thoughts trailed off as she noticed the glint in Inuyasha’s eyes. He was smiling cordially but the small crinkles next to his eyes let her know that he was amused by her reaction. Kikyo narrowed her eyes at this. 

“Regardless, we’ll be going inside now.” 

She knew, based on the look Kagome gave her, that she was fully blushing now. Inuyasha gave a single guffaw but moved to let them by. 

Kagome smiled cheerily and grabbed both Sango and Kikyo by the hand and pulled them along past Inuyasha. She was practically sprinting her way through the crowd leaving the other two to try and weave their way without getting tangled or losing Kagome. It took a minute or so but they were all able to make it to the bar without losing anybody. Kikyo could feel the sigh building up inside her as she sat on an empty seat. Despite her earlier interest, going to a club was not her idea of a fun, relaxing night. But she wouldn’t disappoint her friend. 

“A tom collins and a gin fizz, please!” Kagome called out as she leaned across the bartop. 

She gave a look at Kikyo who didn’t add anything to Kagome’s request, but she didn’t say anything about it. Kikyo shook her head in an unspoken response, she was the one driving after all. Sango and Kagome chattered away while sipping on their drinks, Kikyo could see that they were starting to relax. They sat together at the bar for a brief amount of time before more upbeat dance music started playing over the speakers.

“This is my song!” Kagome screeched upon hearing a familiar drop, “We have to dance to this!”

She pulled Sango with her into the crowd of people, leaving Kikyo by herself at the bar. Although, she wasn’t about to follow them. The smell of sweat, sex, and alcohol permeated the air and Kikyo was getting a headache just thinking about how strong it would be where the other two girls had gone. 

At that moment it donned on her, she should not have come. The dress that she thought looked gorgeous on her was now tight and sticking to her skin due to sweat, the makeup felt cakey and she almost couldn’t resist the urge to rub it off. Yet, she didn’t show any of this outwardly. Instead, she sat still in the seat that she hadn’t moved from and drank cranberry juice. 

After another minute of her internal complaints, she decided it was time to find Kagome and Sango. She stood from the seat and looked around. Not to her surprise, they were not in her immediate sight. This meant she had to climb through the crowds of people. She sighed, this time, and started to go where she had seen Kagome run off to.

“I was about to buy you a drink but it seems that you’re already leaving,” Someone sang from behind her.

Kikyo smiled when she heard it, it was such a stupid pick-up line that was close to not being one. She was less than a step away from entering the crowd when she felt a hand on her own. She turned and saw a man with a flirtatious grin holding her hand to his lips. She quickly yanked it from him and close to her chest.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She asked sternly.

The man’s grin grew and he took a step towards her. Kikyo backed away from him but bumped into a dancing couple. She then took a step to the side, away from the crowd, and towards a wall where a neon sign labeled “bathroom” hung. 

“Just showing my admiration for such a beautiful woman like yourself,” He bowed his head but Kikyo could both feel and see that his sight never left her, “I saw that you never ordered a drink. You must be waiting for someone to do it for you.”

Kikyo stared at him expressionless although inside she was reeling. She knew what he was trying to do. She chose not to respond to him and turned her own head away. She tried to search for her friends once more but, still, they were not in her sight. 

“Please, let me buy you a drink,” The man tried to step closer to her again.

This time he reached out a grabbed her hand again, his grip was more forceful and he tried to pull her towards him. Kikyo yanked her arm away and shoved past him into the crowd of people, he wouldn’t try anything if they were surrounded by people. She glanced over her shoulder to see if he had followed her but stopped abruptly in her motions. The man was now talking to Inuyasha, his arms swung around the silver-haired male’s shoulder. Inuyasha had a small smile on his face and seemed to be conversing easily with the man. Kikyo felt her stomach turn a little. While she saw Inuyasha as an alluring man for some reason, that view was now a bit clouded as time persisted on and he kept visiting with the other man.

The smell and heat of the group of people dancing were suffocating Kikyo, along with her disgusted thoughts of what she had just endured. She kept bumping into people and pushing her way through but no one seemed to move and she was having trouble finding Kagome and Sango. It was tiring. She felt the hands of people brush against her body and at times they felt more deliberate than accidental. 

Then she felt someone squeeze her and she immediately grabbed the arm from behind her. She turned, ready to yell at the man but was taken aback when she saw Inuyasha standing in front of her.

“Hi there,” He greeted with a lopsided grin, “I-”

“You!” Kikyo blurted out, her face starting to flush.

She was tired, hot, and annoyed with unwanted attention. In front of her stood the one person she thought she wanted to get to know. But when she had grabbed his arm, the image of him cracked and shattered.

“Keep your damn hands to yourself!” She yelled at him while shoving his arm at his chest, “I can’t believe you men! There is no _need_ to bother me or any other person in here, we’re just trying to have a night out! How Kagome could be friends with a pervert like you is beyond me!”

Inuyasha stood there, stunned, and gently pulled his arm from her grasp. She felt a flow of frustrated tears build up and she swiftly made her way past Inuyasha and back towards the bar. Just by chance, she ran headfirst into Sango.

“Kikyo!” Sango exclaimed.

She grabbed Kikyo’s shoulders and gave the girl a surprised look.

“What happened?” She asked gently. 

Kikyo merely shook her head and wiped her eyes. The makeup stained her hands and she rubbed them against the dress.

“I’m just tired,” She told the worried-looking girl, “Where’s Kagome?” 

“She’s in the car already, she was about to drop to the floor so I left her in the back seat and came back in to look for you,” Sango replied, “We’re ready to leave too.”

Kikyo nodded and let herself be led out. She didn’t want to drive home, she just wanted to go to sleep now. One look at Kagome changed her mind. The girl was sprawled out across the backseat, her face was flushed red and she smelled terrible. 

“Do you want me to drive?” Sango asked before opening the passenger door.

“No,” Kikyo told her with a sigh, “I’ll drive.”

Sango bent down into the car and closed the door. Kikyo made her way to the driver’s seat but stopped short when she heard her name being called out.

“Kikyo, wait!” Inuyasha called out as he ran towards their car.

Kikyo quickly entered the car and slammed the door shut. She pulled the seatbelt over herself and reversed out of the parking space. Inuyasha was not close to them yet and she wasn’t going to stop to talk to him. She pulled away and out of the lot, her mind jumbled and tired.

_I’m not ever going to a club with Kagome after this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I enjoyed writing this, although I'm not sure if everything got across properly. Regardless, thank you for reading it :)


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! Back again sooner than expected :) I have fixed the weird spacing that has been going on. I will get onto changing that for the other chapters as well :))
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys reading!

“It’s karma!” Miroku blurted out as he held his stomach.

He was practically hanging off of Inuyasha, Miroku’s hand gripped Inuyasha’s shoulder as he leaned forward. Inuyasha grumbled and attempted to shrug off the man.

“Karma my ass,” He spat with disgust, “Karma from what!” 

They were taking a break from cleaning the bartop when Miroku had noticed the annoyance on his friend’s face. It took about five minutes for Inuyasha to get fed up with Miroku’s pestering and spill the interaction he had with the man.

_“I’ve seen that ass try to spike drinks before!” Inuyasha grumbled, “And he had the nerve to try that shit at this bar.”_

_Miroku nodded his head in understanding at the anger Inuyasha was harboring._

_“And, there must be more to it than just that.”_

_Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the man and asked sharply, “Just that?”_

_“Just, continue.”_

_“Well, I went to talk to the bitch about what he was trying to do, but I wasn’t going to make a commotion-”_

_“Again.”_

_Inuyasha sighed loudly and stared at Miroku who put his hands up in surrender._

_“I put my arm around the guy and told him that he better start running or he’ll lose his fingers. Told him to laugh like it was a joke and everything.”_

_Miroku nodded his head again._

_“Then I went to find who was trying to spike but she yelled at me!” Inuyasha turned red at this, “I was trying to help but she thought I was trying to grope her! I didn’t even touch her! I was hoping to, I don’t know, talk later but I think I’ve blown it now-”_

_“Ha!”_

And that led to their present conversation.

“Karma from being rude to some of Sango’s friends at those blind dates Kagome sets up for you,” Miroku told him once he stopped laughing, “Regardless, that is terrible to hear.”

Inuyasha growled and grabbed the mop he had discarded a few minutes prior. He stomped off to clean an area away from Miroku. Although it annoyed him, something told him Miroku wasn’t wrong. Inuyasha tried his best at those stupid dates but some of the girls were just so infuriating. Sighing he ferociously scrubbed the floor where a puke colored stain seemed to have decided to become permanent. 

“I just want to talk to her,” He mumbled under his breath, “Keh, what do I do now?” 

* * *

Kikyo brushed her hair while staring at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn’t believe she had let herself burst out such expressions and words the day prior. It wasn’t her, it wasn’t right. 

Sighing she put the brush down and fiddled with the hem of her cardigan. It was one that she had knitted herself. It didn’t give very much warmth but it was aesthetically pleasing being one of her favorite colors, white, and one of the projects she had worked on under Kaede’s guide. The sleeves were long and covered her hands, although the intricate lace-like design she had decided one allowed for her hands and arms to be seen. The length of it fell to her knees and she felt it brush against her ankle as she sat with her legs crossed. 

“Why did it have to be him,” She whispered in dismay as she stared at her reflection, “Why me?”

She observed her image in the pristine, silvered glass. She had always been told that she was pretty and sweet. The true image of a shrine maiden and a woman. Someone with poise and grace. Kikyo sure never felt like that. She only saw a girl who had failed such expectations by going to a club and spilling her emotions out. Even while there, she had lost her friends an run into trouble.

She sighed again and brushed off her skirt before standing in front of the mirror. She gently guided a finger along the side of her cheek. 

_What do they see?_

“Kikyo, dear,” Kaede called outside of Kikyo’s bedroom door, startling the girls out of her thoughts, “There’s a young man here to see you. Said his name was Miroku.”

Kikyo took slow strides to the door and, once she opened it, was met with the face of Sango’s fiancee. While she had heard quite an amount about the young man from Kagome, she had never actually met him in person. Sango was a nice girl, but Kikyo considered her to be Kagome’s friend rather than her own.

“Hello,” Miroku greeted with a smile, “I wanted to talk a bit about my dear friend who might’ve upset you last night.”

Kikyo resisted the urge to purse her lips and sigh. She examined the male. He stood in a relaxed stance and his smile, while a bit flirty, was calm and didn’t seem to be masking another intention. She abided her thoughts a bit more before moving forward and away from her room. 

“We can talk as I guide you out,” She informed him.

She saw Miroku grin from the corner of her eye as he followed her across the wood floor to the front door.

“I only wanted to let you know that Inuyasha isn’t a bad guy-”

“That would be for me to judge.”

“Well, at least understand that whatever you thought he did, he did not do.”

Kikyo stopped at the top of the steps and turned to face Miroku. Her face was cold and devoid of emotion as she responded to him, “Well if he really didn’t do anything then I would’ve expected him to come and explain himself to me in person.”

Miroku gave a small upturn of the side of his mouth and shrugged. Kikyo let out her sigh and left him at the top of the stairs. She was not about to accept an apology given by someone else.

“Give him a chance,” Miroku called out to her back, “Please!”

Kikyo frowned but didn’t stop in her sauntering to say anything back.

* * *

Inuyasha threw his feet over the side of the couch he was lying on. He had woken up that morning feeling a bit on the lazy side and had opted to ignore his alarms for his morning run. Instead, he was laying on the couch watching wrestling. He was relaxed and was about to close his eyes and enjoy the peacefulness of the morning when his phone buzzed. He assumed it was Miroku or Kagome and ignored but then it buzzed again. And again. Then it started to ring.

“Gah! Who is it!?” He shouted in annoyance as he grabbed it and swiped up to answer the call.

“What do you fucking want!?” He yelled into the phone.

“Watch how you speak to this one, little brother,” The voice stated in a passive tone.

“Sesshomaru,” Inuyasha practically spat the name out, “Why’re you calling?”

He heard a low chuckle and held back the growl that grew in the back of his throat. His brother never called him.

“Father is having his annual party. You’re expected to be there,” Sesshomaru stated with amusement, “Don’t try to get out of it, this one will be sending someone to bring you there and it’ll be noticeable if you’ve disappeared.”

“And if I don’t go?” Inuyasha growled.

“You’ll be coming home then,” Sesshomaru informed him, the bitterness apparent in his voice, “This one will be very unpleased if you come home.”

Inuyasha felt an eye twitch at that comment.

“I don’t wanna see your ugly mutt face either,” Inuyasha rebutted.

He heard Sesshomaru sigh and there was a moment of silence before he added anything back.

“The party is in two days, don’t be late.” With that, Sesshomaru hung up.

Inuyasha threw his phone at his couch and grumbled some obscenities under his breath while he stomped to his kitchen. So much for a peaceful morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Yes, this chapter was a bit shorter than the others but hey it all works out. I wanted to write Inuyasha and Sesshomaru being close and all but it doesn't fit quite yet. Should I have them resolve their relationship or no?
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I apologize for being absent for longer than usual...my excuse is I was doing work but its actually *cough*procrastination*cough*  
> I hope that everyone's September is going decently. It's almost the spooky season :))  
> Enjoy reading!

Kagome smacked her alarm with the vigor of a bull. The loud resounding CRACK woke her up in a frenzy. She mumbled something about chicken under her breath and turned over in her bed, the alarm not resonating in her head quite yet. Then it did, and Kagome’s eyes shot open.

“Mornings” She mumbled and rubbed her face, “Curse you, sun, could’ve given me another hour.”

She groaned and rolled around in her bed trying to savor the softness it had at that moment. The sun peeked from the bottom of her window and its beams lit up the edge of her bed, she could feel the warmth on her feet already. She was about to curl back into her blanket when she felt her stomach groan as well.

“I guess it’s food time,” She giggled to herself.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed and leaned her head forward to shake it around. The tangled made her scalp itch and she was ready to brush it out. With a flip of her hair, she stood and made her way towards her bathroom. She let the water run as she fumbled through a cabinet for a hairbrush. When it’s bright green handle didn’t make an appearance, she shut the water off and went back into her room to search for it. It wasn’t that Kagome was vain, but she did take pride in her hair, and keeping the tangles out was part of that pride. She searched leisurely, the morning sun was still low and had yet to hear the room. It took a few minutes but eventually, the bristles burrowed in the lime brush made its way to plain view.

"Ha!" Kagome exclaimed excitedly as she grabbed a hold of the item, "There you are! How'd you get over there?"

It made her giggle some more when she found herself pulling from behind a small potted plant. She quickly, although thoroughly, brushed through her hair as she made her way back to the bathroom. A quick shower was tempting but her routine run was even more so especially after she had so much to drink the night before. She had no hangover, it was one of those random body talents she felt that she had, and a run was perfect for clearing out the jitteriness she had. Kagome changed into a pair of loose shirts and a long-sleeve mesh sweater that she liked wearing while exercising.

“Good morning Buyo,” She chittered to her fat cat that was lazing on her blue couch. He ignored her greeting in favor of licking his stomach and legs. Kagome smiled and patted her cat’s head. 

For some reason, she had a good feeling for the day and she was ready to go about it. She swiftly pulled on her running shoes and made sure to yank the door handle of her apartment to ensure it was locked. While she wasn’t careless, Kagome often forgot in her rush to lock her door. It was a mistake she was trying to fix. 

She hummed softly as she walked down the staircase of the complex. The sun was now starting to rise and she took to walking a bit faster down the stairs. She was hoping to miss the morning sun on her run but it seems that this morning would not see to it. She was almost to the bottom of the staircase when a flash of brown turned the corner. Kagome stopped in a slight surprise at the sudden appearance of Kouga sprinting up the rest of the steps towards her.

“Kagome!” He excitedly yelled out as he got closer to her.

He stopped a few steps in front of her and gave a large grin. In his right hand was a small envelope. He hid it behind his back slightly once he saw Kagome’s gaze turned towards it.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” He smirked and pulled one of Kagome’s hands into his own.

She shook her head with a smile but didn’t pull away.   
  
“Hello, Kouga,” She addressed with a softened smile, “What brings you running to my doorstep?”

He moved the envelope from behind his back to directly in front of her. It was plain except for the name _Kouga_ spelled out in cursive. 

“You know how I’m an impressive athlete and all right?”

Kagome rolled her eyes at this statement.

“Well, I was invited to some formal party! The one that dog face’s pop puts together.”

Kouga beamed proudly when he finished. Kagome tilted her head in confusion.

“It’s lovely that you were invited and while I don’t mind your company, why did you come so early in the morning to tell me this?” She asked while rubbing her thumb against the knuckle of Kouga’s pinky finger.

“Oh yeah!” Kouga practically jumped in excitement, “I can bring a plus one! And well…”

He trailed off as a blush started to form on his nose. He stared straight at Kagome and she felt her face heat up as well.

“I thought that I’d ask you to come with me,” He told her softly.

Kagome felt a rush from her stomach to her ears and she had to fight off the large smile that was building up. She had no hesitations in her answer and she giggled to keep herself from squealing.

“I’d love to come but,” She answered while pulling her expression into a poker face, “Would this be considered a date?”

Kouga’s smile dropped a bit at her question and the redness spread from his nose to his neck.

“Well,” He stammered, “I don’t know if it’s exactly a DATE but I mean it can be seen as one and I wouldn’t mind if it was but if that makes you uncom-”

He was interrupted by more of Kagome’s giggles. She chittered out a playful response. “It’s a date then.”

Kouga nodded and gripped her hand to his chest. 

“I’ll pick you up an hour before it starts,” He stated with a squeeze.

He then released her hands and ran back down the stairs, waving as he went. Kagome laughed softly at his actions and finished making her way down the stairs as well. She sighed as she felt the warmth of the sun against her cheeks but she started to jog lightly regardless.

 _He asked me to a party! I can’t believe this, I have to tell Sango_. She thought as she sped up in her run. It was something to look forward to.

* * *

Kagome rushed through the hallway while pushing the gurney. The instructions of the head nurse who led the way were drowned out by the groans of the bloodied man lying on it. His arm, that was lying against his chest, was bent down the middle of his humerus and blood poured out from an open wound where the splintered bones were poking through.

“Sir, I need you to keep your eyes open,” Kagome directed loudly, “Look at me, sir!” 

The man’s eyes fluttered but his focus was already distant. Kagome cursed but kept pushing the man along. Soon, she and the rest of the staff had pulled the gurney through the doors to surgery and the man was settled onto the operating table. Kagome hung against the doorway, panting, she wasn’t an attending nurse so she didn’t have to stay but it was tiring regardless. She slowly trudged out and into one of the benches against the wall. She was, for once, grateful for the cool metal against her skin. The night had barely started and already she was exhausted. 

A young boy had come in with a broken leg and she tended to him along with his mother who incessantly complained about how she wasn’t treating her son gently enough. Then came an older man who had gotten lost in the pediatrics section while looking for optometry. She had guided him there only to find him wandering back to pediatrics. After a few tries, she called the optometrist to guide the man to his appointment. Those were simple enough, but then came in the accident patients. A large pile-up of four cars from a highway close by had brought 5 patients all bloodied and broken into emergency care. Kagome had been paged in to help as the nurses for emergency care had been scattered through the hospital helping elsewhere. A mistake on the administration’s part but Kagome wouldn’t, and couldn’t exactly, decline the paging. 

Presently, she had helped to wheel in the last patient and was sitting against the benches across from surgery. She had only one person left to meet, a patient coming in for a check-up. Kagome could already feel the bubbling disquiet in her stomach as she gazed over the page. 

_Onigumo_.

The dread had yet to settle but Kagome pushed herself to her feet regardless. His appointment was in the same room as the previous appointment; it was the last room at the end of the hall. She treaded slowly to the room with the dread threatening to burst out with each step. She soon stopped herself.

“What am I so worried about even? He called me beautiful and said I smelled nice,” She muttered to herself, “It’s no big deal.”

She took a breath in and released it slowly but continued on her way to the room. She stopped in front of the door and took another breath before entering it. Unlike before, Onigumo was already seated on the bed with his shirt folded on a chair. He gave Kagome a small, cordial smile and she merely nodded in greeting.

“Good evening,” He addressed to her, “It took longer than I expected for you to arrive. I passed you in the hall earlier and I didn’t even receive a wave.”

Kagome forced out more of a grimace than a smile in response. She stayed silent as she quickly went through checking his vitals. It didn’t take very long and she soon was inputting the information into the computer.

Onigumo hummed softly and Kagome could feel his eyes on her.

“I think I should apologize for my words the other day,” Onigumo stated softly.

Kagome glanced at him briefly and nodded again in response. She had no intention to give him a verbal answer.

“I truly want you to know,” Onigumo continued, “I wanted to share my thoughts. I won’t say something again, like such, that could bother you.”

Kagome sighed and stopped her typing. She peered past the monitor screen to look at the man. He had a grimace on his face and his eyes looked so sad. Kagome felt her heart move a bit and she opened her mouth to give him a response but she was cut short.

“I only mentioned what I did because you reminded me of someone who I once knew,” He told her quietly, “She was very beautiful and kind. Just like you.”

He looked up at her with a small smile. Kagome sighed again.

“I accept your apology,” Kagome finally responded, “But I do not want to hear any flattering words like that again.”

Onigumo nodded and his smile brightened. 

“You do remind me of her,” Onigumo stated with a soft laugh, “Although she was a shrine maiden, not a nurse.”

“That’s funny, I work as a shrine maiden part-time.” Kagome chuckled.

Onigumo gave her a vague smile and nodded. The doctor soon arrived and Kagome took it as her cue to leave.

“Thank you for the apology,” Kagome whispered on her way out, “I hope your checkup goes well.”

Onigumo only smiled in response.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a modern AU where they are all human.


End file.
